Many process control systems use pressure regulators to control the pressure of a process fluid. Pressure reducing regulators are commonly used to receive a relatively high pressure fluid and output a relatively lower regulated output fluid pressure. In this manner, despite the pressure drop across the regulator, a pressure reducing regulator can provide a relatively constant output fluid pressure for a wide range of output loads (i.e., flow requirements, capacity, etc.).
A temperature-controlled pressure regulator is a pressure-reducing regulator that also controls the temperature of the process fluid (e.g., maintains the temperature of the process fluid at a predetermined temperature). Controlling the temperature of the process fluid prevents condensation and/or induces vaporization of the process fluid across the regulator as the pressure of the process fluid is reduced between an inlet and an outlet of the regulator.
Temperature-controlled regulators are often used with fluid sampling systems. A temperature-controlled pressure regulator may be used to preheat liquids, prevent condensation of gases, or vaporize liquids prior to analysis (e.g., chromatographic analysis). For example, a temperature-controlled regulator may be used to heat (e.g., via a heat source) an inlet process fluid containing liquid to be analyzed (e.g., a liquid containing hydrocarbons). Or a temperature-controlled regulator may be used to vaporize (e.g., via a heat source) an inlet process fluid containing a vapor to be analyzed (e.g., a vapor containing hydrocarbons).